Then ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo arrives to file his certificate of candidacy for senator, October 6, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The Commission on Elections has dismissed a petition that sought to disqualify Senator-elect Erwin Tulfo from the midterm elections.

The petition had sought Tulfo’s disqualification due to his previous libel conviction and his supposed US citizenship.

Tulfo had argued that his libel conviction could no longer be used as grounds to disqualify him “since his disqualification had long been removed after the expiration of 5 years from service of sentence” starting on February 17, 2011, the Comelec noted.

“Having served his sentence on 17 February 2011, Respondent’s disqualification due to conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude was deemed removed on 16 February 2016, which marked the expiration of the five-year period from his service of sentence,” the Comelec Second Division said.

“Therefore, for the 2025 NLE (national and local elections), Respondent is not disqualified as a candidate for Senator,” the decision promulgated on May 22 stated. 

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The Comelec division added that the citizenship issue cited by the petitioners against Tulfo should have been instead raised in a petition to cancel his certificate of candidacy.

“In this case, Petitioners improperly combined in a single pleading ground that pertain separately and exclusively to a petition for disqualification and a petition to deny due  course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy. This defect also warrants the dismissal of the instant Petition,” it added.

Tulfo thanked the Comelec for being “fair.”

“Alam po nating dumaan ang desisyong ito sa masusing pag-aaral ng Komisyon. At ang desisyong ito rin ay mas lalong nagpapatunay na walang batayan ang mga disqualification cases na ibinato sa akin nitong nakalipas na kampanya,” he said in a statement.

“Salamat din sa aking mga taga-suporta sa nagdaang halalan. Patuloy po tayong magsisikap para magtrabaho nang tapat sa mga Pilipino bilang Senador,” he added.

Tulfo garnered over 17 million votes in the midterm polls, placing him 4th among the 12 winning senatorial candidates.

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The news anchor-turned-politician is the brother of incumbent Sen. Raffy Tulfo. 

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